In Sermon Illustrations: "Suffering Joy In"

Handicapped But Complete

Contributed by Richard Goble on Nov 26, 2007

Handicapped But Complete About two years ago my wife Kay was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease, mainly characterized by inflammation of the lining of the joints. It can lead to long-term joint damage, resulting in chronic pain, loss of function and ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Cups Of The Lord

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Cups of the Lord The Cup of Blessings Psalms 16:5 says, "The Lord is my portion of my inheritance and my cup..." (NAS) What a wonderful blessing, to know that the Lord Himself is our inheritance. Dr. Dewight Jones tells us that there are some 32 cups mentioned in the Word of God. We have ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 16:5

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

First Step To ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

First Step to Spiritual Revival The need for turning to God has never been more urgent than today. The latest fads of social Christianity and religious programs have been unable to deliver Americans from their economic concerns, fear of terrorist attacks and moral decline. Many in America have ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 7:14-15

Tags: Revival

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Born, And ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Born, And Born-again The birth of a baby is a wonderful thing! Doctors, nurses and parents regularly speak of the miracle of the birth of a child. News of a child’s birth is often reported by newspaper and radio, especially in rural areas. Exciting as it is, however, no natural birth of ...read more

Scripture: John 3:7

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Blessed Are The Merciful

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Blessed Are The Merciful In the Sermon on the Mount, we notice that Jesus' subject was not on how people are to be saved, but on the fruit of those who allow the Holy Spirit to work in their lives. One of the signs or evidences that a person has been converted is that he is now merciful. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:7

Tags: Character

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How To Get Kicked Out Of Church On Christmas Eve  PRO

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Dec 15, 2008

HOW TO GET KICKED OUT OF CHURCH ON CHRISTMAS EVE Christmas Eve 1990. I came this close to being physically thrown out of church. We were new to town and we heard that a certain church in town had a fantastic Christmas Eve service. So, we went with some friends, about ten of us total, to this ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Advent, Christmas Eve, Hymn, Hymnal, Hard To Believe, Way, Choir, New Jersey, Shut Up, Kicked Out, Go Away, Eject, Sing, Quiet, Song, Silent Night, Usher, Funny  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Story Of Isaac ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2009

THE STORY OF ISAAC WATTS A young boy complained to his father that most of the church hymns were boring and old-fashioned, with tiresome words that meant little to his generation. His father challenged him with these words: "If you think you can write better hymns, why don’t you?" The boy ...read more

Scripture: John 4:23-24

Tags: Worship General

Michael Jackson: Product Of Childhood

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jun 27, 2009

MICHAEL JACKSON: PRODUCT OF CHILDHOOD One of the saddest comments I heard Michael Jackson make was when he was being interviewed and he said that his father had never told him that he loved him. In a speech at Oxford University in March 2001 he spoke very perceptively when he said this: "All of ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Denomination: Anglican

Airplane Traveler Who Knows His Bible Well, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 23, 2009

Airplane Traveler Who Knows His Bible Well, Finally Understands the Goal of the Gospel--To Know Christ And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” *There is no eternal life in trying to keep God’s rules, because you can’t keep them ...read more

Scripture: John 17:3

Tags: Evangelism, Christian Witness

Grace And George Williams

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 19, 2012

GRACE AND GEORGE WILLIAMS Max Ellerbusch tells the story of the Friday six days before Christmas. He was working feverishly in his instrument repair shop so he could have all of the Christmas holiday at home with the family when the call came. His 5-year-old Craig had been fatally struck by a car. ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Methodist

The Bible Thoroughly Equips

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Nov 4, 2012

THE BIBLE THOROUGHLY EQUIPS 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is God Breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training for righteousness, so the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." The Bible is the Word of God and is useful for thoroughly ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Dreams

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“There are many ways of breaking a heart. Stories were full of hearts being broken by love, but what really broke a heart was taking away its dream - whatever that dream might be.” - Pearl S. Buck Everybody has a dream. What’s your dream? What was your dream when you were young and full of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:18

Tags: Adversity, Brokenhearted, Broken Dream

Denomination: Charismatic

Giving Out Of Need

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“Hunger also changes the world when eating can’t be a habit, then neither can seeing.” - Maxine Hong Kingston It had been a tough year and it didn’t appear to be getting any easier. She wasn’t working and he wasn’t working much. They had two teenage children to feed and bills to pay. The car ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:7

Tags: Compassion, Poverty, Generosity, Giving Out Of Need

Denomination: Charismatic

A Train For Christmas

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 9, 2017

When I was a little boy, Christmas was really exciting. Sears Roebuck and Company would send toy catalogs out to my mom because she had an account with them. I would spend hours every Christmas looking at every item in the catalog. The catalog was filled with every kind of toy a boy could think ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Jesus Came, Unto Us A Child, A Son Is Given

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

A Collector’s Item?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 23, 2020

Hard to believe, but I may have a collector’s item! In my own house! Now, before you start sending me “Can I see it?” types of emails, maybe I should explain just what this “collector’s item” really is. Really, it wasn’t that much of a collectible, even from a couple of years ago. It’s only ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-20, Colossians 3:2

Tags: Stewardship, Collector's Items

Denomination: Baptist

The Glory Of Springtime

Contributed by Todd Catteau on May 30, 2023

Don’t you just love spring? It’s simply glorious. Trees blooming. Plants blossoming. It’s all so beautiful. Unless of course you were looking at my front yard earlier this year. Last summer we bought three bushes that looked so promising. The leaves were supposed to turn all kinds of spectacular ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:23, Romans 5:2

Tags: Maturity, Fruit Of The Spirit, Trees, Galatians 5, Church, Spring, Perseverance, Hope, Fruit, Life, Bible, Grace, Forgiveness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[049]. A Message From A Poem – Christmas With The Shepherds

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 7, 2025

[049]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHRISTMAS WITH THE SHEPHERDS This is a very simple poem. I was asked to write a poem for Christmas by a friend who was doing religious instruction at a school and it is aimed at younger children. Although I do not agree with the trappings of Christmas as ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Tags: Poetry, Poem, Shepherds, Christmas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[093]. A Message From A Poem – Foraging In The Depths Of Scripture

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 30, 2025

[093]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FORAGING IN THE DEPTHS OF SCRIPTURE This poem deals with getting into the heart of scripture. There are images and techniques and encouragement in these stanzas. I actually make the comparison between a mudskipper that flits across the shallows on the water, and ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 119:27, 2 Timothy 2:15, 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: Buried Treasure, Inspired, Dig Deep, Eel, Mudskipper, Scripture, Word Of God, Workman  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[095]. A Message From A Poem – From Chains To Release

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 2, 2025

[095]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FROM CHAINS TO RELEASE This poem covers a lot of ground. It starts with, and develops the chains of sin; the work of Christ on the cross; our redeemed state in a persecuting world; God is looking for faithfulness and commitment; we praise the Lord because He ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:2, Romans 6:23, John 10:10

Tags: Captives, Bound By Chains, Chained By Satan, The Chains Of Sin, Poetry, Poem, Chains, Released  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[164]. A Message From A Poem – Just Being In Christ Is Everything

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 15, 2025

[164]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – JUST BEING IN CHRIST IS EVERYTHING YES! YES! YES! Christ is everything. How this world is empty without the Lord at the centre. If God did not care for us and took steps to save us, we would be meaningless people on a meaningless ball spinning in space in a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:30, Romans 8:1, Romans 6:11

Tags: Salvation, In Christ, Christian Poems, Turn To Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational